A Pity
by M. the Inspector
Summary: A couple of oneshots based on the 98 movie. New: tiny little Javert/Valjean scene at the barricade.
1. Chapter 1

Slight edits as of 7/07 to make my Valjean a bit less sparky.

Based on the '98 movie.

To my knowledge the '98 movie is the only version that has Javert snuff it _in front of _Valjean, and I have to say I found Valjean uncharacteristically callous in that scene. I can't see him as a guy who sits by while people commit suicide. I think that the scene should have gone down like this:

* * *

For a moment Valjean lay panting on the ground without understanding. It dawned on him slowly: Javert had fallen into the water. Javert had done this deliberately. Javert had done this to avoid the choice between returning his prisoner to the galleys and setting him free. 

In a manner of speaking, then, Javert had done this thing _for _the prisoner.

"_No_!" Valjean scrambled to his feet and went to the edge. He looked down into the water and there was Javert, lying beneath the surface without struggling. Valjean fancied he could see the cold eyes open and fixed on him forbiddingly. _Do not interfere_, the eyes warned him.

Valjean very nearly obeyed that silent command. But then he thought of Javert's remark: "It's a pity the rules don't allow me to be merciful."

A pity? This was not the course he would have chosen, then. He was killing himself not because he truly wanted to die, but simply in order to free them from an impasse which was, in Valjean's opinion, entirely solvable by other means.

So Valjean jumped into the cold water, seized the policeman by his coat, and pulled him to the surface. Javert wouldn't swim on his own, and as soon as their heads broke the water he turned to Valjean and said shortly, "This is not your concern. Go away."

"Not my-? Javert! You know me better than that - did you really think I could sit back and watch you kill yourself for my sake?"

"For your sake?" Javert shook the water out of his eyes. "Don't be absurd. If I were concerned about you I would have shot you. I don't care a sou what happens to you from now on; it's myself I'm disgusted with. Go on - leave."

He sounded more petulant than Cosette ever had, and Valjean found himself becoming paternal in response. "I cannot allow-"

"I'm afraid you have no authority to stop me, _M. le Mayor_," Javert sneered. "You're a convict with no authority at all." He spat out the water that washed into his mouth, choking on it a little, and then continued: "Valjean, you _will _obey me. Leave."

"You know how I feel about obeying the law," Valjean reminded grimly. He spun Javert around in the water, threw an arm around him from behind, and started to tow him to the bank. "Not at the cost of a life. Not then, not now, not ever."

"No!" Undignified though it was to dig his heels in like a child in a tantrum, Javert found himself fighting desperately to avoid being hauled out of the water.

"Let me go, Valjean, I demand it!" Valjean's only answer was to continue with his steady progress towards solid ground. Javert resisted the whole way, but the handcuffs so severe a disadvantage that he found himself dumped onto the hard stone ground as quickly and easily as if he were a sack of grain. "I gave you your freedom - how dare you withhold me mine," he hissed furiously. He sat up, feeling a cold puddle form around him, and said through chattering teeth: "Valjean, _no_."

Valjean was shivering, too, but at those words he straightened up and flashed a mirthless smile. "Begging, Javert? Do you really think that'll move me?" He squatted down in front of him and leaned very close. "Did begging ever move _you_? No. Because you believed with all your heart in what you were doing – just as I do now. I _will not _see you harmed."

Javert looked up at him through a curtain of wet hair. "I'm afraid it's not your decision to make." He lunged forward, catching Valjean by surprise and knocking him backwards. Even handcuffed it was an easy matter to snatch the knife from the convict's pocket and flick it open.

Valjean caught his balance a second too late to prevent it. His fingers closed on Javert's sleeve and he tried to pull back and was only partly successful - the blade went deep, but into the shoulder rather than the throat as Javert had intended.

"_Ah _- Let go of me," Javert gasped. "For God's sake stop it!"

Valjean let go and sat back on his heels. "Fool! You stubborn bastard," he whispered. He had seen men die of knife wounds and not die of them, and by the blood pouring out from beneath Javert's collarbone he knew that the inspector had succeeded.

"Happier? Is this better?" Javert fumed at him. "Now I get to die slowly and in pain. Is this how you like it, Valjean? Is it?"

It was the first time Valjean had ever hit a dying man, but he couldn't help himself. "How dare you! You know I didn't mean-"

"I know." Javert licked the blood from his lip and dismissed Valjean with a wave of his bound hands. "Just go. Let me finish it this time."

"Are you a God-fearing man?"

Javert flared up again, but weaker this time. "And what if I were - who's going to give me my rites? You? There's not a priest in the world that would absolve a suicide and you know it." He shrugged. "Fortunately I believe God judges me on how I've lived my life, not how I conducted myself during my last three miserable minutes." His posture slumped and he dropped his head to the side wearily. "Now, if there is nothing else...?"

Valjean was shocked to feel a sharp stab of sadness for him. For Javert? "No... nothing else. I'm so sorry. Javert..." He had trouble getting the words out aloud, and finally had to whisper: "I did not intend to make you suffer. Would you rather a bullet?"

"Do you really want to add murder to your resume?" Javert watched his face. "I thought not. No, Valjean, it's kind of you to ask, but the river will be fine." He got slowly to his feet. Valjean didn't move. Javert brought himself to the edge once more and turned his back to the water. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Me?"

Javert's eyes flickered to the handle protruding from his chest. "Is your knife engraved?"

"What? Yes, it is, it was a gift from-"

"Then don't you think it had better not be found in me when my body turns up?" Ever the policeman.

Valjean stood up and Javert watched placidly while he pulled the blade out. "Good. Now go."

Valjean turned away and started walking. He heard the splash and didn't look back at it.

* * *

The End.

It's the first time I've ever killed off Javert. I feel terrible!

Leave me a review, willya?


	2. Chapter 2

Random little ficlet based on the 98 movie. No other version of Valjean has enough anger or personality in him for this. And nowhere else do Javert and Valjean have such an openly contentious relationship.

After Valjean dismisses Javert from the station over the Fantine incident, he feels a little nasty and goes...

* * *

"On second thought - Inspector, wait."

Javert was too preoccupied to read the danger in the mayor's tone. "Yes, monsieur?"

"Do you believe that the law should be applied equally to one and all, without mercy or exception?" Valjean challenged.

This time Javert read the tone correctly, but chose to ignore what he heard and tell the truth. "Yes, I do," he said firmly.

Valjean nodded and turned to the other officers. "In that case, Captain, please place Inspector Javert under arrest for assault."

"You can't be serious."

"You hit her," Valjean said over him, "When she wasn't resisting you and before you informed her that she was under arrest. Before you even identified yourself as a police officer. That is assault."

"You cannot mean-"

"That is assault."

Javert's cold eyes narrowed. "She was interfering with my performing my duties," he said primly, "And therefore under article four, part C, I may use whatever force I deem the situation requires."

The mayor spread his feet a bit and crossed his arms. "That's true. But if a superior - me, for example - questions you as to whether your use of force was appropriate, according to part D we then turn to your colleague who was present with you at the time. I trust he will agree with your judgment?" They both knew what Buvet would say. Valjean took a long step forward and whispered, "So be very careful, Javert. Even for someone with a clean record, assault carries a month or two of prison time and I'll see that you serve every day of it. Now. You _will _stand down, with grace and humility, you'll let the woman alone, or I will press forward with this."

Javert spoke up loudly and calmly. "If you think I have done wrong, monsieur le mayor, I demand that you have me prosecuted for it." His voice hardened and acquired a warning undertone. "But if you do _not _think that I've done wrong, then I demand you stop trying to bargain with justice! Is that clear, sir!"

Valjean was shaking his head in wonder. "You're unfathomable." He passed his hand across his face and rubbed at his temples. "Of course you've done wrong, any child could tell you that. But I can't send you to jail. Throw an officer of the law - especially _you_ - in with the prisoners? Javert, I have need of you _alive_."

"That's not important. If monsieur le mayor thinks I have done wrong-" Javert began steadily.

"Buvet!" Valjean barked over him.

"-I _demand_-"

"Y-yes, sir?"

"-to be _prosecuted! _I _will_-"

"Enough, Javert! Buvet: I trust you agree that the Inspector was behaving appropriately?"

"I... I-"

"You agree, do you not!?" Valjean thundered.

The mayor was nodding determinedly and eventually Buvet got the message and nodded as well. "Urhm, yes? I do? Of course, sir, of course he-"

"Buvet, you tell him the truth or I'll have you discharged!" Javert spat.

Valjean raised his voice still further. "Tell me what I want to hear or _I_ will!"

"I, I... I had my eyes closed and I didn't see!" Buvet let out a sigh of relief once he had created this answer.

Valjean beamed. "In that case the benefit of the doubt goes to the policeman. Therefore-"

"No! There is one other witness we can question!" Javert whirled on the shaking wreck in the corner. "You! Whore! You thought I was wrong to have hit you, didn't you?"

She gaped at him, confused and terrified.

Valjean glided up to her smoothly and stroked the hair off her forehead. "Shhhh," he soothed. "Now, you just tell the nice Inspector that he did a good job, and then everything's all over."

"This is abs-"

"Silence, Javert," Valjean ordered over his shoulder, "Or you're guilty of tampering with a witness."

Fantine nodded frantically. "As you say, sir, everything's as you say, the nice inspector did a good job, just as you said, may I leave now?"

"There, see?" Valjean turned to Javert. "Everything's fine. Now, Inspector, since you're relieved of duty so unexpectedly tonight I know you don't have any plans. Will you please help me transport this woman to a hospital?"

"Drive at night? For her? The roads are covered in sleet and it's not safe. I won't go - and I must insist you don't either."

Valjean's jaw tightened up. "Very well. Then I order you to stay _here _and take care of her, here at the station. She is one of our people," he explained over Javert's furious protest, "And her life is in danger, and therefore this is an emergency, and therefore I can order you to do it even though you've been placed off-duty. Now. Do you understand the orders you've been given?" Javert was silent so long that Valjean had to repeat, "Do you?"

"Yes, sir," Javert managed at last.

"If she's not alive when I come back here in the morning-"

"Then it will not be for lack of trying on my part," Javert snapped. "You've given me an order and I'll obey it. But monsieur..." he leaned even closer and lowered his voice.

Valjean looked very interested to see what threat Javert might devise. _But beware the day you break the law_? As though Javert could possibly threaten to become any _more _harsh than he was already! _But beware the day I can prove **I** broke the law_? Equally absurd.

"With all due respect to your position, sir, I must tell you that your understanding of law and order is seriously, _seriously _flawed."

Valjean met his stare coolly. "Then it's fortunate I have you around to advise me. And I thank God you don't have the power to do more than advise."

* * *

The End.

This seems rather too goofy to continue. I just had to write it, because GR's Javert is so totally berserk and bizarre and I get more plot bunnies every time I watch him. Let me know what you thought!


	3. Chapter 3

Based mostly on the book... but I was visualizing the 98 movie guys, so it goes here.

This takes place once Valjean takes Javert into the alley supposedly to shoot him. Not that I didn't like Hugo's "You annoy me. Kill me rather" line, but I feel like they could have said a little more to each other.

* * *

"You are free."

A long moment later the inspector produced: "I beg your pardon?"

"I said you are free."

"No." Javert took the unusual step of speaking faster than he could think. "You'd set me free? Alive? No you wouldn't. Of course you wouldn't. And anyway I refuse. I won't take your charity - you know what I think of it." In hindsight Valjean's pronouncement was entirely predictable. Here was a man who had risked his own life crawling under a cart to save a peasant… had Javert really imagined him one to kill in cold blood and delight in it? _I want to blow his brains out myself_… Pigs should fly! Javert cursed himself for his stupidity.

"Go, Javert."

"No."

Valjean signed. "I'm not going to execute you. Do what you like, arrest me if you must, but I _will _see you leave this barricade alive."

_Arrest me if you must?_ Javert shuddered. If that wasn't turning the other cheek he didn't know what was, but the thought of a just comparison between a convict and- "Do it, Valjean, I demand it!" Valjean had infected him with his backwards thinking, and he needed these thoughts shot out of his head as quickly as possible. "If you don't, I'll... I'll return with you to the barricade, and demand it from one of the others. They will be happy to oblige, I think," he added with a twist to his mouth.

Valjean swore viciously and took him by the shoulders. "You will do no such thing! You're going to live to see dawn, if I have to beat you unconscious and carry you away myself. Javert," he added more quietly, stepping back to give him space, "Forget everything that's happened between us; I forgive you all of it. Listen... you never tire of reminding me of the debt I owe the law... Why do you object to my taking some step towards repaying it?"

"I _object _because you have me at knifepoint, my life is forfeit, you promised the schoolboys you would take it!" Javert found himself panicking, caught between two very unattractive alternatives: he could allow the transaction to proceed according to Valjean's wishes, helping a convict confuse himself with Christ and escape justice in the process; or he could plead abjectly for his own death.

After a few brief and bitter moments, Javert chose the latter. "Please," he began. "Me, a knife, and no fear of reprisals... You've dreamed of this, don't deny it, I know you have. Besides, it's self-preservation; I'm a danger to you and to save yourself you _must_ kill me. You can't possibly mean not to do it. Valjean." When Valjean didn't move he added, without lowering his eyes, "I am begging you."

"Don't beg," Valjean answered at once, "It doesn't suit you. You've been right about a great many things, Javert, but you are wrong about me. I can learn to accept the one if you can learn to accept the other." He could see at once that Javert would not be so easily persuaded, so he closed the distance between them and took the inspector's hands. They were cold. "Come with me. I will take you away from here, someplace safe, and we'll talk."

"Leave?" Confusion piled upon confusion. "But what of your revolution?"

"My…? Oh, no, I'm afraid I don't care at all for the revolution," Valjean explained. "One of the boys is a friend of my daughter's, and I am here only for his sake. I promised to look after him for her."

"Him, then. You can't leave him. Kill me and go back."

"In this case I think my first duty is to you. If you will allow me a few moments to fetch the boy I would be grateful, but if not, dying on the barricades is his prerogative and I'm sure Cosette will recover from the heartache eventually."

"I'll _allow _you to put a pistol in my mouth the way you're supposed to," Javert snarled desperately.

Valjean shook his head. "Stay here. I'll send the boy off and then we'll go together to my house... or to the police station if you really think it necessary." He paused and added with perfect and touching earnestness: "I'll obey you, whatever you decide, so please reflect carefully."

He left and Javert felt a perverse impulse to _not _reflect carefully, just to spite him.

* * *

**The End.**

Yeah, this sort of came out of nowhere. Whad you think?

The one I've got in my head next is a long **Javert/Cosette** not-really-romance, that would take place after my story _You at the Barricade_ (the one where Valjean dies). I think Javert and Cosette are both very lost, very warped people and it would be interesting to see how they get along in a post-Valjean world. Does that sound interesting? **Let me know**!


End file.
